Katharina Buczek
“There’s a lot going on at Instagram right now. We are experimenting with a number of different changes to the app. And so, we are hearing a lot of concerns from all of you,” Mosseri began his statement before attempting to “clarify a few things” for Instagram users.
First, the CEO explained how Instagram is beta-testing a new full-screen app design with a small percentage of users.
So, if you are confused about why your Instagram interface looks different from others, that is likely the reason why.
Second, Mosseri attempted to tackle the elephant in the room– how Instagram is pushing more and more video content over traditional photos.
“Now, I want to be clear. We are going to continue to support photos… That being said, I need to be honest. I do believe that more and more of Instagram is going to become video over time,” he admitted.
The CEO claimed that Instagram needs to “lean into the video shift” currently occurring on the platform “while continuing to support photos.”
Finally, the ineffectiveness of Instagram’s “recommended posts” was also addressed.
Mosseri described how if users are unsatisfied with the recommended photos or videos that appear in their feed, then the company is doing a bad job ranking users’ interests.
Nonetheless, Instagram still plans to continue revising and improving the recommendation algorithm because the company believes it is “one of the most effective and important ways to help creators reach more people.”
And while some people did appreciate the personal explanation from the CEO himself, the majority of Mosseri’s comment section is filled with creators, both small and large, who are unsatisfied with his explanation.
In fact, they believe he glossed over the fact that users are posting more videos not because they want to but because the Instagram algorithm boosts them much more than photos.
“People are moving toward video because we are under the impression that photos are not performing and reels are being pushed more by the algorithm. I would like to see more transparency in how the algorithm works,” commented one user.
